I'm just starting to edition my latest print 'The Fox on the Mountain'. It is a simple four colour reduction print. I've been wanting to do something that includes one of the stanted and contorted trees from the local hillside as part of a linocut print for a while. It is quite rare to see a fox towards the top, I've seen them much more often in the valley nearby. I've added a few pictures of the design and printing. #tree #winter #print #Lino #landscape #wildlife #birds

Yes it's my favourite tree again! When I started out to walk up the hillside it was bright and crisp. By the time I got to the view over the valley it was cold and very windy. A couple of Red Kites were flying into the wind along the edge of the old limestone quarry and the sky was threatening rain. I stayed for about an hour, that was more than enough. The painting was finished in the studio. #oilpainting #winter #BreconBeacons #RedKite #tree #Llangattock #landscape #Crickho

Autumn Tree. The Bracken in November was such a bright orange/red in the frosty morning light. This small (30x24cm) acrylic on linen painting will be part of the Cric New Year exhibition that starts next week. #Autumn #gallery #Llangattock #exhibition #landscape #Crickhowell #wildlife #seasons #BreconBeacons

2018 was a year of painting trees for me. Some have already gone to good homes and some will be on show in the Cric New Year exhibition. And most of my linocuts have been of animals #winter #BreconBeacons #summer #gallery #Lino #exhibition #Llangattock #print #wildlife #Autumn #Crickhowell #birds #painting #seasons #landscape #usk

Red Kite from above, flying over a snowy early morning landscape

I've been slowly developing a design for a linocut of a Greenman for a couple of months. A Greenman is a mythological image/character that can be found in many churches and Cathedrals. There are many theories about the origin and meaning of of the image, with connections to Paganism but also into Christianity. There is lots of information online about them. I have tried to bring in more of the ecology of the (Oak) trees, plants and flowers (Lesser Stitchwort, White Bryony) a

I've recently completed another largish reduction linocut print. It is of a Barn Owl, not one of the most common birds in the area (I think this part of the Beacons is at the edge of its territory)but one of my favourites. I've been doing some paintings of the hedge in winter very close to my house. I like the silhouette made because at some time in the past the hedge has been 'layed' and the sharp edge and sides, from where Chris the farmer has expertly trimmed it for many y

I'm very happy to say that I've had two pieces of work accepted for Crickhowell Open Art Competition at Oriel Cric Gallery. One is my recent print of an Otter and the other is the acrylic painting of the hedgerow close to my house during the recent snowy weather. The Exhibition is launched on Friday 25th May and continues until 7th July 2018. It is always full of work of the highest standard and well worth a visit, either as part of the Open Studios weekend or if you are in t

Otters have been sighted in the River Usk, in the valley where I have my studio space, for several years now. I’ve only been lucky enough to catch brief glimpses out of the corner of an eye. I’ve heard stories in past years of them swimming under the bridge in Crickhowell(Wales) and keeping people in the beer garden entertained. A friend, Dutch, a keen photographer and fisherman was lucky enough to get some good pictures while out fishing one day and was kind enough to let me

I was very happy to see my art and that of other artists on show show at the excellent Craft Renaissance Gallery. Very busy this afternoon for the 're-launch'. Hopefully I shall be showing a veriety of work there over the next few months. Thank you to Hele and Rob and everyone for putting this all together. https://www.facebook.com/CraftRenaissance/… #Lino #fish #exhibition #usk #gallery #print #landscape #wildlife #birds

I missed the private show but I finally managed to get to the annual exhibition of the South West Academy of Fine Art exhibition in Exeter today....busy busy! Two of my lino prints on display among many very good pieces of work. Not the best of photos to post here, they were taken on my phone. Well worth a look if you are in the area in the next week. #exhibition #print #wildlife

A couple of lino prints labelled and ready to be dropped of at Exeter Castle on Sunday. It's for the annual exhibition of the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts from the 14th to the 25th of November. Click the poster for a link to the SWAc page and the online catalogue #fish #exhibition #print #wildlife #birds

I've just delivered some work to the Riverside Gallery in Ystragynlais. It will be on display for the next two months over the Christmas period. Well worth a visit if you are in the area. #exhibition #painting #print #stilllife #wildlife

On the 18th I went to the 'members buffet' and private opening for the Society of Wildlife Artists annual exhibition in the Mall Galleries in London. Two of my pieces were in the show. #print #wildlife #exhibition #birds #fish

After some success with my lino print of the Brown Trout in the river Usk, I've been working over the last few weeks to complete a print of a Salmon in the Usk. Once again I've tried to get that feeling of the fish's view of things and mixed up things from above and below the water. The Trout was set in the spring, the Salmon is set in the early autumn. I'd been looking for ideas for some flowers and animals to include in the image. On a recent walk along the river I came acr

WILDLIFE IN ART Local Artist to exhibit in major national Wildlife art exhibition. Work by Crickhowell based local artist, Martin Truefitt-Baker has been selected from over 800 submissions to appear alongside paintings by some of Britain’s leading wildlife artists. The exhibition will be on display at Mall Galleries in London between 19th and 29th October. Martin, who used to teach art in a school in Merthyr, told the Focus that he is extremely excited to have a painting and

WHOOOOPDEDOOOOP! Both of my entries have been accepted for the Society of Wildlife Artists Annual Exhibition. The exhibition is in the Mall and runs from the 19th to the 29th October. #print #wildlife #painting #birds #fish #exhibition

I've been working on a lino print of a honey bee for a while. I have just finished printing today. It has been quite difficult. It is a 'double reduction'. I used two lino blocks, cutting away at each of the blocks. One for three colours and the other for two. I'm not totally sure about the colours I've used in one of the editions but because it's a reduction print, there is no way back. My favourite part is the spent dandelion flower. I think there is a possibility of anothe

A while ago I thought I'd take a chance and enter my 'Magpie Silver' painting and one of my 'Usk Trout' prints for the annual exhibition of the Society for Wildlife Artists. It will be in the Mall Gallery in London in October. I realise there is another stage to go through yet before they are fully accepted but I'm happy to say that they have both been pre-selected. #print #wildlife #birds #landscape

I've been working on the idea for this print for a while. A trout's eye view of Crickhowell bridge from the water, or even the bridge and the swallows inside the trout (maybe a future print). It has ended up as a sort of above/below water, river scene, from early April The trees are bare and the Lesser Celandine is blooming. The swifts and swallows are flying round the bridge. Well I'm quite pleased with the result, I hope others like it. In the end there are three small edi